The Tata Group recently stated that Simone Tata, the ‘Czarina’ of Lakmé, would be remembered on Saturday morning.
Simone Tata, the mother of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and the stepmother of the late Ratan Tata, died on Friday morning at Mumbai’s Breach Candy hospital following a brief illness. She was 95 years old.
According to a Tata Group statement, the final respects for Lakmé’s founder will be held on Saturday morning at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba.
“She will be remembered for helping Lakmé become India’s largest cosmetic brand and laying the basis for fashion shopping through the Westside chain. She also oversaw the activities of other philanthropic organizations, including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute,” a Tata Group official said in a statement.
“With her positivity and profound resolve, she surmounted numerous hurdles in her life and left an indelible impression on many of us. “May her soul rest in peace, and God grant us the strength to bear this loss,” the message continued.
She is survived by her son, Noel Tata, daughter-in-law, Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya, and Leah.
Who exactly was Simone Tata?
Simone Naval Dunoyer was born in Geneva, Switzerland, and first visited India as a visitor in 1953. Simone married Naval H. Tata two years later and began her professional career with the Tata Group in the early 1960s, shortly after their wedding.
Simone Tata joined the board of Lakmé in 1961, when it was a minor subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO), a personal care company known for products such as Hamam, Okay, and Modi Soaps. Her push for a clear vision helped shape the company into the monster it is today.
She was named Lakmé’s chairperson in 1982 and became renowned as the ‘Cosmetic Czarina of India’ for popularizing beauty goods among Indian women and establishing one of the country’s first consumer brands.
